Unusual Senate Meeting Fails to Solve Impasse Over Obama Nominees

WASHINGTON—The Senate moved closer Monday night to a clash that could poison relations between the parties and stall a range of legislative business, after an unusual, closed-door meeting of nearly all 100 senators failed to resolve a dispute over President Barack Obama's executive-branch nominees.

Senators emerged from the meeting, considered a last-ditch effort to avoid the confrontation, saying they had failed to reach an agreement on how to overhaul the rules for considering nominations to Mr. Obama's cabinet and...